Washington, D.C. — Today, voters in Hungary rejected Viktor Orbán’s bid for a fifth consecutive term as prime minister and elected rival Péter Magyar. In response, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
This is a resounding defeat for authoritarianism that echoes far beyond Hungary’s borders. It’s also a major blow to those who have looked to Viktor Orbán’s corrupt model as a blueprint—including Donald Trump himself. Orbán has been an architect of a global authoritarian playbook and the perversion of democracy.
The election also stands as a powerful rebuke of efforts by Trump and Vice President JD Vance to influence the outcome. JD Vance’s outrageous electioneering has been repudiated by the people of Hungary. The brand of strongman politics they represent is increasingly being rejected by voters who are tired of democratic backsliding, economic failure, and corruption. Orbán’s defeat may be the beginning of the end of the global movement toward gangster authoritarianism that has meant economic decline for their countries while the cronies of the regime are enriched.
For more information, or to talk to an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected]